Olsen to run for new Assembly District 12

Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto)

Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) will campaign to represent an Assembly district which includes Turlock in 2012, she announced Tuesday.

A former Modesto City Council member and past vice president of communications for California State University, Stanislaus, Olsen has served as an assemblywoman since 2010. She currently acts as Assembly Minority Whip.

Olsen characterizes herself as a reformer who looks to bring more power to local, rural governments.

“It has been an honor to serve in the Assembly," Olsen said in a press release. "I look forward to continuing to represent this area as an advocate for job creation, governance reform, and prioritizing core services like education and public safety. My focus is on problem-solving, not partisan politics, and I will continue to work hard to stand up for the Central Valley and commonsense reforms that will return economic prosperity to California."

Olsen’s move comes as a result of redrawn district boundaries nationwide, conducted every 10 years following the decennial census.

Olsen’s current district – Assembly District 25 – overlaps with about half of the new Assembly District 12. The new district adds Southern and Eastern San Joaquin County and Turlock, while relinquishing foothill counties and portions of Merced County.

Olsen has raised more than $200,000 for the upcoming election, her campaign said. No Democratic candidates have announced their intention to run for the seat, as yet.